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Weekly Event Announcements for the City of Alexandria:
September 19–25, 2009

For Immediate Release: September 18, 2009

Saturday, September 19- Barrett Library Fall Book Sale
The Barrett Branch Library, 717 Queen St., will hold a fall book sale from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For further information, please call 703.838.4555.

Saturday, September 19 – National Talk Like a Pirate Day
In celebration, the Potomac Riverboat Co. will host 40-minute long Pirate Cruises departing at noon, 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. Join Captain Hoover to read pirate stories, sing pirate songs, learn pirate lingo and create pirate crafts. Pirate garb is encouraged! It is recommended that you arrive 30 minutes prior to departure. Reservations are required. Tickets cost $15 for adults and seniors, and $9 for children ages, 2 to 11.

Additionally, the Office of Historic Alexandria invites children to the Historic Alexandria History Center, 101 N. Union St., from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Children of all ages will learn about Alexandria’s waterfront history and local pirate lore. Admission is free and there will be fun hands-on activities for kids. For further information, call 703.706.5262.

Saturday, September 19 – African-American Genealogy Workshop
Discover expert techniques for tracing African-American family history at the Alexandria Black History Museum, 902 Wythe St., with “Their Voices Can Be Heard, Part IV: It started in the Graveyard.” From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., join genealogist Char McCargo Bah at a free workshop exploring the use of cemetery, church and death records in family history research. The featured cases are from Char’s research of descendants of people buried at Alexandria’s historic Freedmen’s Cemetery. Reservations are requested and can be made by calling 703.838.4356. For more information, please visit www.alexblackhistory.org.

Sunday, September 20 – West End Farmers’ MarketThe public is invited to the West End Farmers’ Market at Ben Brenman Park, located at 4800 Brenman Park Drive. The West End Farmers’ Market is open to the public, Sundays through November 22, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information, visit alexandriava.gov/Recreation.

Sunday, September 20 – Last Day of the “Living Legends” Exhibition
The latest class of Living Legends of Alexandria is profiled in an exhibit at The Lyceum, Alexandria’s History Museum, 201 S. Washington St. This photography exhibition, featuring the work of Nina Tisara, celebrates people who have made remarkable contributions to the quality of life in Alexandria. “Living Legends of Alexandria 2008-09” showcases 26 nominees who have worked to improve life in Alexandria. The museum is open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sundays, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The suggested admission is $2. For more information, visit alexandriahistory.org or call 703.838.4994.

As part of Eco-City Alexandria, the Plastic Bag Recycling Initiative encourages residents to recycle plastic bags and utilize reusable bags whenever possible. Stop by one of these locations to get more information about plastic bag recycling and receive a free reusable bag. For more information, visit alexandriava.gov/PlasticBags.

Monday, September 21 – Tavern Toddlers
Join us for a special program for toddlers (walkers through 36 months) and their caregivers at Gadsby’s Tavern Museum, 134 N. Royal St. Tavern Toddlers features a weekly open playtime in Gadsby’s historic ballroom Mondays, excluding Federal holidays, through November 16 any time between 10:30 a.m. and noon. New themes this fall! Cost is $7 for a group of three, which must include one adult, or $30 for purchase of a five-week pass. For more information, please visit www.gadsbystavern.org or call 703.838.4242.

Tuesday, September 22 – Car Free Day
The City of Alexandria encourages residents to join people from around the world to celebrate a day without cars! To learn how to be car free, take the car free pledge or become eligible for great prizes, visit www.carfreemetrodc.com.

Tuesday, September 22 – Local Author Reading
Sasha Gong will discuss her new book, Born American, at the James M. Duncan, Jr. Branch Library, 2501 Commonwealth Ave. The event will begin at 7:30 p.m. For further information, please call 703.838.4566.

Wednesday, September 23 – Upper King Street Fresh Farmers’ Market
The public is invited to the Upper King Street Fresh Farmers’ Market, located at the King Street Gardens Park, 1806 King St., just a few steps from the King Street Metro. The Upper King Street Fresh Farmers’ Market is open Wednesdays through October 28 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. For more information, visit the Farmers’ Market Online.

Wednesday, September 23 – Arlandria Plan Intersection Improvements Community Meeting
The City of Alexandria invites residents to attend the Arlandria Redevelopment Community meeting from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Cora Kelly Recreation Center, 25 W. Reed Ave. The City is currently assessing recommendations for short and long-term improvements to the intersections of Mt. Vernon and E. Glebe and Mt. Vernon and Reed, which will focus on pedestrian safety, improving the geometry of the intersection, driveway access and general intersection efficiency and safety. For more information, contact Sandra Marks at 703.838.4411 ext 170 or at sandra.marks@alexandriava.gov.

Thursday, September 24 to Sunday, September 27 – Third Annual Alexandria Film Festival
Join us for the Third Annual Alexandria Film Festival at the George Washington Masonic National Memorial, 101 Callahan Dr., across from the King Street Metro. Sponsored by the Alexandria Commission for the Arts and the Office of the Arts, the Festival brings high-quality independent short and feature-length films, documentaries, filmmaker panels, and arts presentations to Alexandria. The Festival kicks off with “Contrasts,” a black-and-white extravaganza at the Torpedo Factory Art Center, 105 N. Union St., from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. “Contrasts” features music, refreshments, open artist’s studios, and an array of “silent” films projected simultaneously throughout the Torpedo Factory Art Center. For more information, to screen film trailers and to purchase tickets, visit www.alexandriafilm.org or call the Durant Center at 703.746.5560.

Coming soon!

Saturday, September 26 – Civil War Shelter Program
Discover what kind of living arrangements Civil War soldiers had at the Civil War Shelter program at Fort Ward Museum and Historic Site, 4301 W. Braddock Rd. This free event will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visitors can learn about various forms of accommodation for Civil War soldiers including tents, winter quarters and huts and their furnishings. Several tents will be erected to show size and design. For more info, please visit www.fortward.org or call 703.838.4848.

Ongoing!

Open through Saturday, January 9, 2010 – “Spirits in a Bottle” ExhibitionArtist Barbara Hardaway decorated more than a hundred Arizona Tea bottles for this exhibition of decorative expressions of an ancient African tradition. This whimsical show at the Alexandria Black History Museum, 902 Wythe St., pays homage to the 9th- and 10th-century Congolese tradition of adorning the ends of tree branches with colorful bottles that would catch the sunlight. Hardaway updated this ritual by festooning her bottles with feathers, fabric, beads, netting, ribbons and seashells. The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Suggested admission is $2. For more information, please visit www.alexblackhistory.org or call 703.838.4356.